Muris Still Skeptical Of Do-Not-E-Mail List

Federal Trade Commission chairman Timothy Muris said last week he remains skeptical that a do-not-e-mail list would do much to combat spammers.

"I've seen nothing to change my mind, but we're doing an in-depth study, and perhaps there will be some new evidence that comes out of that study," Muris told an audience March 11 at the Consumer Federation of America, according to Reuters.

Before the passage of the CAN-SPAM Act, which calls for creating a do-not-e-mail list modeled on the popular no-call registry, Muris was outspoken in downplaying the practicality and effectiveness of such a list. He reiterated his concerns that the FTC lacked the resources to enforce compliance with a registry, and he thought spammers would ignore the list.

"I said last summer I would advise you not to waste your time to sign up if there was such a registry, because again we're dealing with people who are already violating a lot of laws," Muris said.

The FTC requested feedback last week on the creation of a national do-not-e-mail registry. CAN-SPAM requires the commission to submit to Congress a report on how to implement a registry, along with the problems of such a list, by June 16.

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